When Children Pray

"And they brought young children to him, that he should touch them: and his disciples rebuked those that brought them.  But when Jesus saw it, he was much displeased, and said unto them, Suffer the little children to come unto me, and forbid them not: for of such is the kingdom of God. Verily I say unto you, Whosoever shall not receive the kingdom of God as a little child, he shall not enter therein. And he took them up in his arms, put his hands upon them, and blessed them."
Mark 10:13-16

My Little Debbie Girl sings the following song in her school time:

"Early in the morning, little children pray
Then again at noon time, then at close of day
God has said, 'I'll answer prayer if my children pray'
What a blessed promise this:
So little children, Pray!"

I love to hear her sweet little voice as it floats down the hallway to my ears and right down into my heart.

And I love to hear my children pray.  How refreshing it is to me to hear their sincerity as they voice their desires and needs to their Heavenly Father.

My children are each praying for a specific thing, a material desire that they each have.  My husband has helped them set up a savings system so that they can save money for that "thing" they desire.

In April, Debbie saw the Lord answer one of her prayers.  She had been praying for a certain "thing," and had been praying and saving for that "thing."  We looked online several times to see if she could get it for a better price online.  Then one day, we were shopping in the capitol city of our state, and she saw her "thing," and guess what:  It was on sale for way less than what we had found online!  It was marked down 70% of its regular price, and about $10 dollars less than what we had found online!  Her daddy gave her permission to buy it.  She kept telling me, "God answered my prayer, Mommy!"  Her "thing" is a constant reminder to all of us that God is interested in the lives of little children, even taking interest in their desires.

My young son, Andrew, has been saving up for his "desired thing," and had been able to save up over half of what he needs to purchase it.  Every so often he'd take out his money and count it, then figure out how much more he needed to purchase his "desired thing."

Our church has started to build a new auditorium on the new church property, and our Pastor urges the members to give toward this building project.

One Saturday night as I was ironing our clothes for Sunday, Little Andrew came to me and said, "Mommy, I feel like I need to give my savings to the building offering.  Every time they announce that more money is needed for the new church building, I think about that money that I have in my savings."  I asked him, "Andrew, let me ask you one question:  Do you feel like God is asking you to give that money?"

His big brown eyes filled with tears, and he said, "Yes, Mommy, I think God is asking me to give that money."

I did the best I could to keep my own composure and I pulled him to me and hugged him.  He said, "Mommy, it's so hard!"

I looked right into those sweet eyes and said, "Andrew, I want to tell you that right now I feel so happy.  You know why?!  It makes me happy to think that God would speak to you!  Imagine that!  God wants YOU to give YOUR money!  He wants to use YOU to bless the church!"

I explained that God is a Spirit, and that He needs our hands to be His hands; He needs our feet to be His feet; and He needs our mouth to be His mouth!  "Andrew," I said, "He wants to use YOUR hands, YOUR feet, YOUR money!!!"

I continued, "I want to tell you another thing:  It would be a wonderful thing if at your young age, you could learn to be obedient to God's voice; that every time God wants to use you, and when He leads you to do something, that you would be obedient. God blesses obedience, and God will bless YOU if you are obedient to Him! Great joy comes from being obedient to God."

He was quiet, as he wiped the tears from his eyes.  "Mommy, what should I do?"  I said, "Honey, you need to decide what to do.  I will be praying for you.  I know you will make the RIGHT decision."

A few minutes later, he went to bed.  How I prayed for my young son, asking God would help him to make the right decision.

The next morning, he was up early.  I heard him go to the washroom and get his clothes.  He brushed his hair and put on his nice Sunday shoes.  Then he appeared in the door of the kitchen with a big smile on his face:  "Mommy, I've made my decision.  I'm gonna give my money to the church."

Then tears came to MY eyes as I hugged him!!!

After church that evening, he walked out to the church office and had a talk with the treasurers of our church.  He put his money into an offering envelope and filled it out and turned in his money.

How my heart is overwhelmed with emotion as I think about that...I pray that my children would be sensitive and obedient to the Lord's voice.  I would be so grateful if being obedient to the Lord's voice would be worth more to them than any worldly, material possession.  To me, there is nothing worth more than being obedient to God's voice.  How I desire for our children to learn that early in life!

What a blessing it is when Little Children Pray!!!

Trust in God

I was looking through my Dad's Bible the other day, reading some of the notes he wrote in the margins. I came across this poem and wanted to share it with you.  It was a sweet encouragement to me, as I hope it will be to you.

Trust In God by Norman Macleod

Courage, Brother, do not stumble,
Though your path be dark as night;
There's a star to guide the humble,
Trust in God and do the right.

Let the road be rough and dreary,
And its end far out of sight,
Foot it bravely, strong or weary;
Trust in God and do the right.

Perish policy and cunning,
Perish all that fears the light;
Whether losing, whether winning,
Trust in God and do the right.

Trust no party, sect or faction,
Trust no leaders in the fight;
But in every word and action
Trust in God and do the right.

Simple rule and safest guiding,
Inward peace and inward might,
Star upon our path abiding;
Trust in God and do the right.

Some will hate you, some will love you,
Some will flatter, some will slight;
Cease from man, and look above you,
Trust in God and do the right.

                       Dad, 2002

Girls Are Special!!!

"A daughter is a day brightener and a heart warmer."

When my Debbie-Girl and I are home alone, we always try to do something special.  We love having "girly days."

Last week, we had such an opportunity, and we had a tea party.  What fun we had, dressing up in high-heels and pinning a flower in our hair!  We had a lovely Mommy-daughter time.  

"Thank you, Lord, for giving me a daughter."

P.S.  Boys are very special, too.  I love my Andrew and Tommy-Greg, as well!!!

A Missionary Testimony

My mother, Mrs. Billie Sloan, was interviewed for Missionary on Fire, a ministry of Missionary to Africa, Bro. Joseph Consford.  Her testimony through this interview was a blessing to me, and it encouraged me as I listened to it.

I want to share this link with you so you can listen, as well.  Mom's testimony can encourage children, young people, adults, and elderly people, as she honestly answers the questions asked her by Bro. Consford's wife, Laura.

I encourage you to take 40 minutes (the length of the interview)...sit down with a cup of tea or coffee and listen to Mom's testimony by way of an interview, and allow God to speak to your heart.  You will be glad you did.

~~Would you leave a comment letting me know you listened, and how it blessed your heart?  I will be glad to pass these comments on to my mother.~~

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Happy Birthday, Honey!

Today is my husband's birthday.  I want to publicly say that I admire this man. I have seen God's blessings upon his life; and how blessed I have been to walk beside him as his wife these past eleven years.

 May God give YOU many more years of service to Him!

I love you!

Things I Have Learned from My Mother

My mother, Mrs. Billie Jean (Ashcraft) Sloan was born into a family with a daddy who was an unsaved drunkard, and a mother who had been saved in the Methodist church as a young girl.  My mom was the first of four children.

The Lord worked a miracle of grace when He saved my grandfather when my mother was only 6 months old.  Later, God called my grandfather (the late Dr. L.H. Ashcraft) into the ministry, and as a missionary in 1960.

My mother was 16 years old when her family moved to Mexico as missionaries.  She remembers it as a hard time for her, having to leave the comforts of her country and her dear friends to follow her father to a foreign country.  (In 1960, Mexico was not as modern as it is today!)  She was obedient, and with a godly attitude, was submissive to her earthly father's leading.  She finished high school in Mexico, then went on to Teacher's college in Mexico, as well....as she learned Spanish and helped in the missions that my grandfather was starting.

In 1968, God took my father, Dr. Tom Sloan, Sr. to visit the work in Mexico, where my mother and he met and fell in love.  They were married in September, 1969.

In 1970, God brought my parents to Chiapas as missionaries, where my father served the Lord reaching the Indian people through his medical practice, and preaching the Gospel in villages so remote they could only be reached by foot (or riding donkeys, as did my father).

I am blessed to have been born into this loving family, the fifth child of eight.  As I look back in my mind to my childhood, I can only remember fun, loving times.  There were difficult times for our family, but I believe my mother took her role as wife and mother so seriously, that she did her best to have a godly attitude throughout the hard times, and she did her "job" so well.

What a courageous woman she has been!  In this post I would like to mention some things that I have learned from her as I have observed her and been loved by her over the past 36 years.

1.  She has been faithful to have her personal Bible-reading and prayer time every day.

I have memories of my mother being up very early, sometimes before daylight, to read her Bible at the dining room table every morning.  What a comfort it was to me to see her consistently reading her Bible and praying!

2.  She was obedient and submissive to my father, and she lovingly and cheerfully served him.

I believe there is nothing you can do that will positively influence a child more than to see Mother being submissive to Father.  I am thankful for a mother who was obedient to my father, although it wasn't always easy.

3.  She was a wonderful keeper of our home.

My mother is a very organized lady, and she had a routine that allowed things to run very smoothly in our home.  She mothered and home-schooled eight children, was active in the church pastored by my father, and always had a delicious meal prepared and served (at our house) at 2:00 p.m. (Mexican dinner time!)

4.  She loved my father and her children

She was very tender toward her children, and I never remember her raising her voice at us. 

5.  She practiced hospitality

Mom knew how to serve people in her home, many times receiving guests whom she did not expect.  She  knew how to serve the "simplest" of guests, as well as she served the "high society" of our city.  I remember her baking and decorating a cake, and celebrating the wedding anniversary of an Indian couple who came to visit us from a village.  The couple did not even wear shoes, but she made them feel very special that afternoon.  My father was very compassionate toward the "lowest" of society.  He often brought the "unloved" into our home, where my mother would set a plate of hot food at her dining room table and serve them as she did the lawyers and doctors who visited us.

Mom was an expert in helping celebrate birthdays.  She remembered people's birthdays all over San Cristobal, and would write out a card, bake bread or cookies, and take them to the home of the "Birthday Person."  Many people in our town have been blessed by her hospitality and generosity.

Today, she is so thoughtful to make very elegant fruit baskets for anyone who is a guest in her home.  I have the great privilege of living close to her, and each time we come into town for a visit (even if it is every two weeks), she always has a wonderful fruit basket ready for us!

6.  She was committed to her marriage

She was true to her wedding vows, faithful in sickness and in health, as she cared for my father through 24 years of Parkinson's.  She was faithful to him, 'til death did them part.

7.  She has been a teacher to other women

God has used Mom as a teacher to other women, as well as to a multitude of children throughout the 53 years she has been on the mission field.

8.  She is an excellent mother-in-law and grandmother

Ask any of her daughters-in-law or sons-in-law:  They all love her.  She has wisely kept out of her children's marriages, and has faithfully prayed for her children and their spouses.  Her ability to keep quiet even when she doesn't agree has had a positive effect in her children's marriages.

Her grandchildren adore her.  She has 11 grandchildren who live fairly close to her.  Every Tuesday night, she invites them over and orders pizza and sits with them and watches a movie with them.  That is HER special time with her grandchildren.  From her eldest granddaughter, who is 16, to her baby grandson...each of them ENJOY being with her.

9.  She showed great peace at the time of my father's death

I remember how peaceful she looked that afternoon that Dad went to Heaven.  He died in his bed, and she sat very calmly at the foot of his bed.  When my brothers asked if they should go ahead with the Sunday evening services (Dad passed away at 5:15 pm on a Sunday afternoon), she said, "Yes. That's what Daddy would have wanted.").  God's grace was very evident in her life at that time, and it was a great testimony to me.

10.  She led her children to the Lord

I thank the Lord that my mother led me (and most of my sibblings) to the Lord.  I have the sweetest memory of her and me sitting on her bed as she showed me from Holy Scripture how I could be saved.

--There is so, so much more that I could say about this amazing lady that I call "Mother,"....many more things that she has taught me.  

I thank the Lord every day for placing me in the loving home of this godly lady.  I pray that the things she has taught me will be put into practice every day as I mother my own children.

Sing Unto The Lord

Dear Readers,

My sister-in-law, Liz (Philip's wife) and I recorded a CD in Spanish and it is finally ready and available.  The Lord allowed me to translate most of the songs on the CD.

I want to take this opportunity to say how much I love and admire Liz.  She is a godly lady, and she was our pastor's wife for 11 years.  Now that Philip and Liz have moved on to start a new work in the state of Veracruz, we miss them so much.  I am so thankful for the privilege of getting to accompany Liz on the piano many times.  My piano playing is no match for her beautiful voice, but I counted it as a great privilege to get to play for her.  I am grateful that Liz and I were able to record this CD together.

The songs included on this CD are as follows:

• Al Señor Seamos Fieles
• Aún Quisiera Ir (Translated by my sister, Elizabeth Martínez)
• Diré a Cristo
• No Se Deshace del Barro (Translated by Anna Lopez)
• El Nombre de Jesús (Translated by Anna Lopez)
• Mi Dios Es Santo (Translated by Anna Lopez)
• No Habrá Noche
• Qué Bueno Es Dios (Translated by Anna Lopez)
• ¿Quién Soy Yo?  (Translated by Anna Lopez)
• Yo Puedo Entrar (Abigail Miller Ministries, Translated by Anna Lopez)
• Seamos Fieles (Translated by Anna Lopez)

Our greatest desire is that the name of our Lord would be glorified through the songs on this CD, and that others would be edified.  May God receive the glory.  He is worthy.

If you wish to order a CD, please get in touch with me.

~~My sister, Ruth, also recorded a CD (she recorded two:  One in English and one in Spanish). 
 Please go to her blog here to read more about it.